Timepiece movement, escapement and timepiece movement

Abstract

One aspect of the utility model relates to a timepiece movement (20, 30), in particular for an escapement (50), comprising a central hub (2) and an annular peripheral toothing (14), the hub (2) being arranged inside the peripheral toothing (14) and substantially lying in the same main plane, the timepiece movement (20, 30) further comprising a first set of strips (5, 15) connecting the hub (2) to the peripheral toothing (14), the first set of strips (5, 15) being distributed around the hub (2) in the main plane, wherein the first set of strips (5, 15) is arranged substantially tangentially to the circumference of the hub (2), the angle formed between the direction of arrangement of the first set of strips (5) and the tangent to the hub (2) being between -20° and +20°, preferably between -10° and +10°, or even between -5° and +5°. The utility model also relates to an escapement and to a timepiece movement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a low moment of rotational inertia clockwork component, particularly for use in escapement mechanisms. Background Technology

[0002] In most mechanical watches, the energy required to drive the hands (e.g., the hour and minute hands) is stored in the mainspring barrel and then released through the balance spring system. This balance spring system consists of a flywheel called the balance wheel, which is combined with a spring called the hairspring, which is a ribbon wound into a spiral shape.

[0003] The inner end of the hairspring is attached to the spindle that rotates integrally with the balance wheel; the outer end of the hairspring is attached to the hairspring stud mounted on the outer stud retainer, which itself is attached to the fixed bar clamp (or balance clamp).

[0004] The rotation of the balance wheel is maintained by the escapement mechanism, and its oscillations are also counted by the escapement mechanism. This escapement mechanism includes an escape fork driven by low-amplitude oscillating motion. The escape fork has two or three pallets that engage with the teeth of the escape wheel. When engaged in this way, the escape wheel is forced to perform a stepping rotational motion, the frequency of which is determined by the oscillation frequency of the escape fork, which itself coincides with the oscillation frequency of the balance wheel system.

[0005] The oscillation frequency of a traditional escapement is about 4 Hz, or approximately 28,800 vibrations per hour (A / h). Skilled watchmakers strive to ensure that the balance wheel system oscillates isochronously and stably (i.e., the time difference remains constant).

[0006] Currently, the hairspring can be replaced by a flexible guide as an elastic component to form a virtual pivot. Flexible guides with virtual pivots can significantly improve watch resonators. The simplest is a cross-shaped pivot, consisting of two guides with intersecting straight stripes. These two stripes can be three-dimensional structures in two different planes, or two-dimensional structures in the same plane (in which case they are welded / securely joined together at the intersection). Furthermore, there are RCC (remote center compliance) guides with non-intersecting stripes, where the straight stripes do not intersect. Such resonators are described in documents EP14199039 and EP16155039.

[0007] However, this flexible guide must possess a certain degree of stiffness to effectively guide the resonator, which significantly reduces the amplitude of the balance wheel (rotation angle from 10° to 40°), while the rotation angle of the hairspring is 330°. Moreover, the oscillation frequency of the balance wheel is much higher than that of the balance wheel mounted on the hairspring.

[0008] As amplitude decreases and frequency increases, novel escapement mechanism configurations have been developed to adapt to flexible-guided speed control mechanisms. For example, patents CH710524 and CH713150 describe specific escapement mechanisms suitable for flexible guides.

[0009] However, these escapements are often inefficient and prone to stalling when subjected to shocks. Furthermore, they still take up too much space, making them difficult to integrate easily into watch movements.

[0010] The performance of escapement mechanisms used in conjunction with flexible guide resonators is limited primarily due to losses caused by the fact that the final drive train, escape wheel, and escape fork need to start and stop twice per second, corresponding to twice the oscillation frequency.

[0011] Therefore, the moment of inertia of the escape fork, escape wheel, and moving parts in the final drive train closest to the escape wheel is crucial for achieving acceptable performance. Utility Model Content

[0012] One object of this invention is to provide a novel motion component that enables conventional escapement mechanisms to operate efficiently in conjunction with speed regulating mechanisms equipped with flexible guides.

[0013] Therefore, this utility model relates to a watch movement component, particularly for an escapement mechanism, and includes a central hub and an annular outer peripheral tooth portion. The hub is arranged inside the outer peripheral tooth portion and is substantially located in the same principal plane. The watch movement component further includes a first set of strips connecting the hub to the outer peripheral tooth portion, the first set of strips being distributed around the hub in the principal plane.

[0014] The significant feature of this utility model is that the first set of strips is arranged to be substantially tangent to the circumference of the hub, wherein the angle formed by the arrangement direction of the first set of strips and the tangent of the hub is between -20° and +20°, preferably between -10° and +10°, or even between -5° and +5°.

[0015] This strip layout improves the stiffness of the moving parts, especially when they mesh with another moving part in the gear system, preventing the risk of strip buckling. At the same time, it eliminates the need for a large number of strips, as was required in early spoked bicycle wheels where spokes were arranged radially on the hub.

[0016] In fact, by selecting a suitable rotation direction, the strip mainly bears longitudinal tension, while the shear stress is reduced.

[0017] This invention significantly reduces the rotational inertia of the moving parts because the strip of this invention is lighter and thinner than the arm in traditional watchmaking parts, which usually connects the hub to the outer peripheral teeth.

[0018] According to a specific embodiment of this utility model, the moment of inertia of the clockwork component is less than 5 mg.mm. 2 Preferably less than 3 mg / mm 2 or even less than 2 mg / mm 2 .

[0019] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the thickness e of the first set of strips satisfies the following formula: Preferred ,in The height of the first group of strips.

[0020] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the angle formed between the arrangement direction of each strip in the first group of strips and the arrangement direction of the previous strip is... ,in This represents the number of stripes in the first group.

[0021] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the first set of strips is evenly distributed around the hub.

[0022] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the first set of strips is straight.

[0023] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the watch movement component further includes a second set of strips, which connect the hub to the outer peripheral tooth in the main plane, thereby forming a cross strip array with the first set of strips.

[0024] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the second set of strips is arranged to be substantially tangent to the circumference of the hub.

[0025] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the cross strip array forms a star-shaped structure.

[0026] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the second set of strips is arc-shaped.

[0027] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the peripheral toothed portion includes a plurality of teeth, each tooth being arranged at the connection between the free end of the first set of strips and the free end of the second set of strips.

[0028] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the outer peripheral toothed portion includes an annular rim having a plurality of teeth.

[0029] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the annular rim has a hollow structure.

[0030] This utility model also relates to an escapement mechanism, which includes an escape fork and the aforementioned low moment of inertia watch movement as an escape wheel, the escapement mechanism being configured to cooperate with a regulating mechanism in a watch movement.

[0031] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the speed regulating mechanism includes a flexible guide.

[0032] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the escapement mechanism includes a second watch movement with low rotational inertia that serves as an intermediate moving part between the seconds wheel and the escape wheel, the second watch movement engaging with the first watch movement.

[0033] This utility model also relates to a watch movement that includes the above-mentioned escapement mechanism. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following description of specific embodiments of the invention, provided only as illustrative and non-limiting examples, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0035] - Figure 1 A schematic top view of a clock movement component according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0036] - Figure 2 A schematic top view of a clock movement component according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0037] - Figure 3 Schematic illustration Figure 2 A perspective view of the second embodiment of the clock movement component;

[0038] - Figure 4 Schematic illustration Figure 2 A top view of a variation of the second embodiment of the clock movement component;

[0039] - Figure 5 A schematic top view of a clock movement component according to a third embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0040] - Figure 6 A schematic top view of an escapement mechanism is shown, which includes a watch movement element according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] - Figure 7 Schematic illustration Figure 6 An enlarged top view of a portion of the escapement mechanism;

[0042] - Figure 8A schematic top view of an escapement mechanism is shown, which includes two watch movement components according to the present invention;

[0043] - Figure 9 Schematic illustration of the relationship with Figure 8 A top view of the escapement mechanism and the speed regulating mechanism associated with it; and

[0044] - Figure 10 Schematic illustration of the relationship with Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of the speed regulating mechanism associated with the escapement mechanism, excluding the flexible guide. Detailed Implementation

[0045] Figures 1 to 5 Different embodiments of the watch movement components 1, 10, 20, and 30, particularly for the escapement mechanism 50, are shown.

[0046] Each watch movement component 1, 10, 20, and 30 includes a hub 2 and an outer peripheral tooth 4. The hub 2 is located inside the outer peripheral tooth 4 and is preferably substantially located in the same principal plane.

[0047] exist Figures 1 to 3 In the middle, the outer peripheral toothed portion 4 includes an annular rim 19 equipped with teeth 8; while in Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the outer peripheral tooth 14 includes a rim 19 and hollowed-out teeth 18. The outer peripheral tooth 4 is composed of two superimposed sinusoidal curve portions.

[0048] In these embodiments, the watch movement components 1, 10, 20, and 30 also include a spindle 7 and a pinion 3, with the spindle 7 extending through the hub 2 and the pinion 3 mounted on the spindle 7 above the hub 2.

[0049] exist Figure 1 In the watch movement 1, a first set of strips 5 connects the hub 2 to the outer peripheral toothed part 4.

[0050] The first set of strips 5 is evenly distributed around the hub 2 in the main plane. Preferably, the first set of strips 5 is straight. Alternatively, the first set of strips 5 is curved.

[0051] According to this utility model, the arrangement direction of the first set of strips 5 is substantially tangent to the hub 2. For example, the angle formed by the arrangement direction of the strips 5 and the tangent is between -20° and +20°, preferably between -10° and +10°, or even between -5° and +5°.

[0052] The angle formed between the arrangement direction of the first group of strips 5 and the arrangement direction of the preceding or following strip 5. ,in This refers to the number of bands 5 in the first group. For example, Figure 1The clockwork mechanism 1 comprises 10 strips 5. The arrangement direction of each strip 5 forms a 36° angle with the arrangement direction of the next strip 5 or the previous strip 5. The strips 5 are arranged in a clockwise direction.

[0053] exist Figures 2 to 5 In one embodiment, the watch movement components 10 and 20 further include a second set of strips 6 that connect the hub 2 to the outer peripheral tooth 4 in the main plane.

[0054] The second group of strips 6 is arranged in the same principal plane. Therefore, the first group of strips 5 and the second group of strips 6 form an intersecting strip array.

[0055] exist Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 In one embodiment, the second set of strips 6 is arranged to be substantially tangent to the hub 2, similar to the first set of strips 5, but arranged in a counterclockwise direction.

[0056] Each strip in the first group of strips 5 is paired with a corresponding strip in the second group of strips 6 at the outer peripheral tooth 4, thereby forming a star-shaped strip array.

[0057] Figure 5 Another watch movement 30 is shown, which is particularly suitable for an escapement mechanism 50, for example Figures 6 to 8 The escapement mechanism shown.

[0058] In this embodiment, the watch movement 30 also includes a hub and two sets of strips 15 and 16, but the outer peripheral toothed portion 24 does not include an annular rim. The teeth of the outer peripheral toothed portion 24 are arranged at the connection between the free ends of the first set of strips 15 and the free ends of the second set of strips 16. In addition, the second set of strips 16 is arc-shaped.

[0059] Preferably, in order to minimize the moment of inertia of the clock's moving parts 1, 10, 20, and 30, the thickness e of each strip 5, 6, 15, and 16 satisfies the following formula: ,in For strip height, the preferred option is... .

[0060] These configurations and parameters ensure that the moment of inertia of the watch's moving parts is less than 5 mg / mm. 2 Preferably less than 3 mg / mm 2 or even less than 2 mg / mm 2 .

[0061] Preferably, the watch movement components 1, 10, 20, and 30 are made of the same material (e.g., NiP or silicon) using a deep lithography method (e.g., UV-LIGA or DRIE).

[0062] For example, these low-moment-of-inertia watch moving parts are used in the escapement mechanism of watch movements.

[0063] exist Figures 6 to 8 In the middle, the escapement mechanism 50 includes an escape fork 21, and according to... Figure 5 The first clock movement 30 of the medium configuration serves as the escapement movement.

[0064] The escapement fork 21 is equipped with two arms 11 and 12, the ends of which form two escapement fork pads, which engage with the teeth 18 of the first watch movement 30.

[0065] The arms 11, 12 of the escape fork 21 engage with the first clock movement 30 with low moment of inertia and alternately interact with the teeth 18 of the first clock movement 30 to adjust the time difference.

[0066] The escapement fork 21 also includes a laterally extending longitudinal portion 14, which has fork heads 22 at its ends for engaging with the elliptical component 23 on the inertial element 26.

[0067] To further reduce rotational inertia and improve the responsiveness of the escapement 50, the escapement 50 also includes a second watch movement 20 (e.g., a second hand movement), which engages with the first watch movement 30. In this example, the second watch movement 20 corresponds to... Figure 4 The example shown.

[0068] The tooth 18 on the second clock movement 20 meshes with the pinion 3 on the first clock movement 30.

[0069] exist Figure 9 and Figure 10 In this configuration, the low-moment-of-inertia escapement 50 is associated with the speed regulating mechanism 60. The speed regulating mechanism 60 includes a balance wheel 35 and a resilient reset device 32 for resetting the balance wheel 35.

[0070] The balance wheel 35 has a bone-like structure, with a longitudinal portion 36 and arc-shaped transverse portions 37 at both ends of the longitudinal portion 36. The balance wheel 35 also includes a stop / limiter installed in the middle of the longitudinal portion 36 and concentric with the virtual axis of rotation, and screws 39 arranged in the transverse portion 37 for adjusting the moment of inertia of the balance wheel.

[0071] The balance wheel 35 is mounted on the elastic reset device 32 so that it can rotate and oscillate around a virtual center of rotation. The elastic reset device 32 is directly connected to the balance wheel 35.

[0072] The elastic reset device 32 includes a system of flexible strips 37, which in this example are two pairs of intersecting flexible strips 37 arranged in series to form a double pivot, thereby increasing the rotation angle of the balance wheel 35.

[0073] An elliptical component 23 extends from the longitudinal portion 36 below the balance wheel 35 to engage with the fork head 22 on the escapement fork 21. The elliptical component 23 is attached to the balance wheel 35.

[0074] This speed regulating mechanism 60 has a high oscillation frequency. Therefore, the low moment of inertia escapement 50 according to this invention can achieve optimal operating conditions at this oscillation frequency.

[0075] Obviously, this utility model is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various modifications can be conceived without departing from the scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A watch movement component, the watch movement component comprising a centrally located hub (2) and an annular outer peripheral toothed portion, the hub (2) being arranged inside the outer peripheral toothed portion and located in the same principal plane, the watch movement component further comprising a first set of strips (5, 15) connecting the hub (2) to the outer peripheral toothed portion, the first set of strips (5, 15) being distributed around the hub (2) in the principal plane, characterized in that, The first set of strips (5, 15) are arranged to be substantially tangent to the circumference of the hub (2), wherein the angle between the arrangement direction of the first set of strips and the tangent of the hub (2) is between -20° and +20°.

2. The watch movement component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The moment of inertia of the clock's moving parts is less than 5 mg / mm. 2 .

3. The watch movement component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The thickness e of the first set of strips (5, 15) satisfies the following formula: ,in The height of the first group of strips (5, 15).

4. The watch movement component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The angle formed between the arrangement direction of each strip in the first group of strips (5, 15) and the arrangement direction of the previous strip. ,in The number of the first group of stripes (5, 15).

5. The watch movement component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first set of strips (5, 15) are evenly distributed around the hub (2).

6. The watch movement component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first set of strips (5, 15) is straight.

7. The watch movement component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The watch movement also includes a second set of strips (6, 16) that connect the hub (2) to the outer peripheral teeth in the main plane, thereby forming a cross strip array with the first set of strips (5, 15).

8. The watch movement component according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second set of strips (6, 16) are arranged to be substantially tangent to the circumference of the hub (2).

9. The watch movement component according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The cross-strip array forms a star-shaped structure.

10. The watch movement component according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The second group of strips (6, 16) is arc-shaped.

11. The watch movement component according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The peripheral toothed portion includes multiple teeth, each tooth being arranged at the connection between the free end of the first set of strips and the free end of the second set of strips.

12. The watch movement component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The outer peripheral toothed portion includes an annular rim with multiple teeth.

13. The watch movement component according to claim 12, characterized in that, The annular rim has a hollow structure.

14. An escapement mechanism (50), characterized in that, The escapement (50) includes an escape fork (21) and a watch movement as a first watch movement according to any one of the preceding claims, the first watch movement forming the escape wheel in the escapement (50).

15. The escapement mechanism (50) according to claim 14, characterized in that, The escapement (50) further includes a watch movement element according to any one of the preceding claims as a second watch movement element, the second watch movement element engaging with the first watch movement element to act as an intermediate movement element between the second hand movement element and the first watch movement element.

16. A watch movement, characterized in that, The watch movement includes the escapement (50) as described in claim 14 or 15.

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